Wrapping Up

This project has been an interesting experience for me.  Initially I had no idea how to create and maintain a blog, but it turned out to be easier than I had thought.  I was able to learn a few skills in the process, and it forced me to work on a project I had been putting off: the vermicomposting bin (I plan to update with pictures of the worms once they arrive). It was also interesting to see the different directions that everyone went in with their blog. Overall, this class has motivated me to examine my own habits, and to think seriously about the consequences of my actions on our environment.  It's made me realize that sacrifices are necessary but that I can still maintain a high quality of life, and helped me see connections in the environment I didn't realize were there.  As John Muir once said, "When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the universe".    

Earthbag Building

Being able to set up your own shelter in the wild is important, but so is the shelter you dwell in on a daily basis.  Lately my girlfriend and I have been thinking a lot about what kind of house we would build when it becomes a viable option for us.  The factors that are most important to us are: building costs, heating/insulation efficiency, a passive solar design, and preferably a greenhouse. With these in mind we set about researching different methods of building houses and stumbled upon earthbag building, using sandbags filled with local natural material  in place of bricks.  Earthbags homes can be assembled easily and are surprisingly sturdy.  The Earthbag website explains one of the many benefits of this building method:  "Earthbags have the tremendous advantage of providing either thermal mass or insulation, depending on what the bags are filled with. When filled with soil they provide thermal mass, but when filled with lighter weight materials, such as crushed volcanic stone, perlite, vermiculite, or rice hulls, they provide insulation. The bags can even act as natural non-wicking, somewhat insulated foundations when they are filled with gravel."   This building method seemed to satisfy all of our needs, but we expected the houses built this way would be pretty plain, box shaped, and small. We were very surprised to see some examples.

http://www.structure1.com/html/earthbag.htm

http://www.motherearthnews.com/Green-Homes/2005-10-01/Earthbag-Construction.aspx

http://www.logement-durable-afrique.info/?report-from-canada

There are many different guides to DIY Earthbag building online.  We came across a website with plans and schematics for different designs, some even using recycled materials for certain parts of the home.The plans were created by Own Geiger, and the website is Natural Building Blog.  We even found a plan for a partially underground Earthbag building with a greenhouse.

http://naturalbuildingblog.com/solar-pit-house/

http://naturalbuildingblog.com/solar-pit-house/

Most of us don't have the option to buy our own home right now, let alone build it.  But it's nice to know there are low-cost high-efficiency building methods out there when the time comes, and that your own house doesn't have to look like a clone of the one next to it.

Vermicomposting

Composting is an excellent way of turning organic wastes into fertilizer for crops.  Although it's not a survival skill, it's useful to know how to recycle your old food and put it to good use.  One of the more interesting ways of composting uses worms to help break matter down, and is called vermicomposting.  It involves a layer of bedding (shredded newspaper, cardboard, a bit of soil) in a tub or tray where the worms reside (only Red Wiggler worms are suited for vermicomposting). Organic waste is occasionally mixed in with the bedding for the worms to feed on.  Coupled with natural decomposition, the worms help turn bedding and waste to a rich brown color, at which point it's considered compost and ready for use in the garden   There are a few different ways to vermicompost, but cost was a factor for my setup so I went the simple route.

Supplies
-10 gallon plastic bin with lid (Think wider not deeper, worms will stay on the top 8 inches of soil)
-Shredded paper or cardboard
-Organic waste
-Drill
-Handful or two of soil
-1 lb. of Red Wigglers

The process is quite simple.  Drill approximately 30 holes in the bottom of the plastic bin to allow for proper drainage. Do the same for the lid. It may also be a good idea to drill a few small holes around the edge of the container.  All these holes with help with aeration, as a compost bin that isn't aerated will start to smell rotten.  Once you have enough bedding, place it into the bin along with the worms, and make sure that everything stays consistently moist. Its best to keep the bin elevated with something beneath it to catch all the excess drainage which can then be used to water plants Now the worms can get to work for you (and you for them).  See the link at the bottom of this post for a list of foods that should and shouldn't go into the bin.

Unfortunately I could find nobody in town who had the worms in stock, so I had to order them.  But now that everything is set up it will make things much easier once they arrive. This was the most expensive supply ($25 for a pound).  However, vermicomposting helps keeps food out of landfills and come springtime I shouldn't need any additional fertilizer for the garden.

I found all my vermicomposting information in one spot: City of Sacramento's Department of Parks and Recreation.  They have a vast amount of information on the subject, so take a look if you'd like to know more.

Tons of Carbon Dioxide

Anyone interested in getting a better idea of their impact on the environment might try using the EPA's greenhouse gas emissions calculator.  It takes into account a multitude of different factors including: heating and electric costs, monthly miles driven, recycling habits and vehicle maintenance.  Since all of these things affect the amount of  CO2 going into the environment, the EPA's calculator can estimate how much carbon dioxide you contribute to annually, also known as a carbon footprint.  This estimate is expressed in pounds of carbon dioxide, and the average emission per person in the United States is 20,750 pounds per year.  This came as an unwelcome surprise to me considering there are over 300 million people in this country.

Recently I used information about my own household to calculate my carbon footprint and compare it with my parents household.  Both are 2 person households (and pets), but there are some major differences between the two.  Our annual emissions were 18,309 pounds of carbon dioxide per year, but my parents' annual emissions turned out to be over 34,000 pounds per year.  There are a few reasons for this.  First of all, my parents drive more often than we do.  Their vehicles get better gas mileage, but the amount of miles put on the vehicles daily is enough to negate the fact.  Secondly, we have a smaller house, it costs us much less to heat and illuminate it.  Another major difference is our lack of air-conditioning, which neither me or my girlfriend feel is necessary.  My parent's house, like many others, is cooled non-stop all summer long.

Once the carbon footprint is calculated, it makes it a bit easier to make changes.  The EPA's websites gives plenty of suggestions for reducing total emissions, including using Energy-Star appliances and turning the thermostat down at night  (Turn it down just three degrees and you'll take roughly 488 pounds of CO2 off your carbon footprint!). Once these things start to become part of your routine you might wonder why you didn't start earlier.  Many of us are already practiced in these areas, and realize that the whole house doesn't need to be cooled, and that a car isn't required everyday.  For those who don't, calculate your carbon footprint and see if it doesn't make you change your mind.